No lights, phone lines
or water for new home owners
The Star 26/1/2005 By Dharmender Singh

About 60
families who moved into Seri Damai Low Cost Flats in Taman Saujana Puchong
are far from being happy with their new homes.

A major complaint is that water supply is irregular and is frequently cut,
sometimes up to three days. Resident, B.C. Khoo said hardly a week went by without a
disruption in the water supply.

"Many of us stock up on water as the supply is cut off
without warning," he said. Poor lighting is the other concern.

Khoo said lights at stairways did not function at the
five-storey walk-up flats, nor did the ones at the car parks. "Residents have to find their way about in the darkness
most of the times," he said.

Another resident Loh Wing Kong said garbage collection
was inconsistent and the contractor collected only from the garbage bins
and that too far in between.

"As a result of this, the stench is unbearable as the
bins are located close to the homes," he said. There were no phone lines in the area. To make matters
worse, neither are there public phones.

Not being able to take it any longer, the residents held
a meeting with Puchong MP Lau Yeng Peng at their homes that were completed
last May.

Lau said he would hold a dialogue with the developer and
Subang Jaya Municipal Council next week to work out a solution.

He said most residents bought their homes under the
squatter relocation programme and were from Kampunt Michael Chen.

"The government had shifted them to the current location
under the Zero squatters project and had promised them a better quality of
life," he said. "We gave to ensure that they have the basic amenities."